"A Year in Spain" My "last gasp" attempt at posting (informative info).

[jumartoo]

Christmas lunch has been prepared, cooked and eaten. We sat out in the terrace, just because we could.

Tomorrow I've got my hearing test in Murcia. Angéla is coming back from Albacete especially to go with me tomorrow. She's a very good friend.

Once tomorrow is over, we're looking at getting out in the van again. This weather is too good to miss. So New Year may be somewhere remote and quiet

Table set, with Prawn Cocktail starter . Not something we normally eat, but, for once, it was very nice. Then we had a turkey fillet, stuffed with sausage meat and wrapped in ham, with traditional veggies. Again not our normal fare.

I'm now stuffed.

 

[bigtree]

You'll learn

I doubt it, I’m 68 next month and been cycling since I was a nipper.

 

[jumartoo]

I doubt it, I’m 68 next month and been cycling since I was a nipper.

Not getting any younger. One day .... and you'll wonder why you didn't do it earlier

 

[Helen Ariel]

Christmas lunch has been prepared, cooked and eaten. We sat out in the terrace, just because we could.

Tomorrow I've got my hearing test in Murcia. Angéla is coming back from Albacete especially to go with me tomorrow. She's a very good friend.

Once tomorrow is over, we're looking at getting out in the van again. This weather is too good to miss. So New Year may be somewhere remote and quiet

Table set, with Prawn Cocktail starter . Not something we normally eat, but, for once, it was very nice. Then we had a turkey fillet, stuffed with sausage meat and wrapped in ham, with traditional veggies. Again not our normal fare.

I'm now stuffed.

View attachment 847983View attachment 847984

If we had tried that here today the food would have blown off and the plate

 

[bigtree]

Not getting any younger. One day .... and you'll wonder why you didn't do it earlier

Electric vehicles are the work of the devil.

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[jumar]

Electric vehicles are the work of the devil.

And they bring the Devil out of me....,

 

[Jays2]

To be honest, if you have never rode an electric bike , try it.
The bike itself is a lot heavier than a normal bike, but when you ride it this doesn’t matter.
I still use both, for short journeys to the shops under 1 km ( flat) normal bike (old) and looks crappy.
Hope it will not get stolen, but easy and cheap to replace.
Where as with the electric bike longer hiller destinations so so much easier and happier but not sure about leaving outside shops for any length of time!

 

[jumar]

As written before...we are eBike 5....soon to be 6....we ride good milage...actually kilometage...
It's fun....Afterall everything should be...we are past the age to prove ourselves or prove to others....or even be expected to be on Top of our game....at 72 and 68 year old... shouldn't we be relying on some assistance from others or perhaps power assistance...well I think we should...
My plans to take me up to 80 years isn't asking too much...but I need help along the way....enter eBike mode, maintain fun ...then it's 80 to 90...might need to modify bike to carry more prescription meds... I'm sure it's achievable...afterall it's all in the head...supplimented by the meds...

 

[jumartoo]

Today, we went on our first, local recce ride for some years. We've had a few rides we've done for a few years, but they always had a minor road to do. I'd said for years that there must be options, so today we set off to do a ride with 4 newly found bits. It worked out well, but we did one bit that wasn't to my plan. So we have to go and recce another bit again, sometime.

We're housebound, awaiting a new storage box being delivered. It should have been arriving in 10 days or so, but it's on its way. Then we're off for New Year. Firstly, probably, at Casas Nuevas and then at one of my favourite free parking spots near the Pantano de Alfonso. We're keeping it'll be quiet there overnight on the 31st.

 

[gus-lopez]

Not a lot of water in there?

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[jumartoo]

Not a lot of water in there?

It's the lowest we've ever seen it

 

[Peavy]

As written before...we are eBike 5....soon to be 6....we ride good milage...actually kilometage...
It's fun....Afterall everything should be...we are past the age to prove ourselves or prove to others....or even be expected to be on Top of our game....at 72 and 68 year old... shouldn't we be relying on some assistance from others or perhaps power assistance...well I think we should...
My plans to take me up to 80 years isn't asking too much...but I need help along the way....enter eBike mode, maintain fun ...then it's 80 to 90...might need to modify bike to carry more prescription meds... I'm sure it's achievable...afterall it's all in the head...supplimented by the meds...

I wish to be as active and be as well as you two are when I reach your age. Good job

 

[cyberyacht]

It's the lowest we've ever seen it

The embalse at Guadalest has had its level drop consistently over a number of years. The winters seem to be getting dryer.

 

[jumar]

Our rains have been absent for a long while... therefore there is virtually no water catchment In the regions that border the Med...
However other regions of Spain have a plentyfull supply which should be shared...but this have been a very political subject for longer than I can remember...

 

[jumartoo]

We are hoping to get away for a New Year/Three Kings trip. I've got a haircut tomorrow at 2 pm. The van will be ready to go. We're going to brave the "North Side of Espuña" in late December and look for some different rides.

Then .... for the 31st over into the new year, I'd like to be in a quiet spot in one of my favourite Murcian parking areas, overlooking the Embalse de Alfonso. it's not on the itinerary of any noisy folk.

I've found a new ride for us to do

Photos taken on a previous visit, two years or so ago.

And, yes, we were together

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[Kurt and Ko]

Thanks so much for posting your great photos it really brightens up a dull December day in Dublin! Cheers, Jane

 

[jumartoo]

Thanks so much for posting your great photos it really brightens up a dull December day in Dublin! Cheers, Jane

Our friend and neighbour is from Cork. Her husband recently passed away here. Martina is spending some time with her family back in Ireland. I think her weather is slightly different there, to here.

Hopefully, she can come back to something to look forward to.

 

[jumartoo]

After a few, very minor hiccoughs, we got away in the van. More later ...

Minor hiccough no 1. A new storage box ordered to be delivered around 10 Jan, was suddenly out for dispatch. Further info unavailable, so we decided to leave.

No. 2 was I was suddenly informed of a hairdresser cancellation. For 2 pm today. Now I needed to get my haircut to make it easier to manage on the road, so ... it was accepted. So today's planned bike ride is now tomorrow.

The good news is that today was grey, cold and damp, so the ride tomorrow will be much nicer in the, forecast, sun.

We're back at the motorhome parking at Casas Nuevas.

Most here are Dutch. Some very big units, with kids. Either Christmas holidayers or Dutch vanlifers. We haven't yet had chance to interrogate them .

 

[jumartoo]

Last night we spent back at Casas Nuevas, on the north side of Sierra Espuña. Today, for the first time, we rode a Martin/computer (Komoot) generated route. We made a few changes whilst we were out there, but, all in all it was a good route.

The camperstop is quite full. A few foreigners, but mainly (and good to see) Spanish motorhomers.

We're intending to do another ride from here tomorrow, and then we have a dilemma, DO WE STAY, OR DO WE GO for Nochevieja . Will the small village be noisy or not? Will my favourite spot next to the reservoir be empty, and quiet?

Stressed Well not in the true meaning of the word, but

New surface.... so nice to ride. Out of order, this was halfway into the ride

 

[Peavy]

Nochevieja

That's something me and my wife we've talked to do, go out with the van in nochevieja.
This year not posible (work), but the thing is we're kind of traditional folk and like to have the new years eve at the sofa, with the grapes and watching tv
Maybe next year...

Btw, what a blue sky in those pictures.

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[jumartoo]

We had a another lovely quiet night here, so we've decided (rightly or wrongly, and time will tell) to spend tonight (31st January and New Year's Eve) here again.
Today we had another good ride. Another planned by Martin using the Komoot ap. So far, so good.
The most motorhomes here now are Spanish. With kids. Hopefully they'll go to bed shortly after 12.00, if not before

They've just had an Al fresco lunch. Some have already left. They have a serious fiesta to attend

. Saying that, others are just arriving. It could be an "interesting" night. Do we stay, or do we go?

An interesting, abandoned? building

And the al fresco lunch.

 

[Peavy]

Spanish. With kids. Hopefully they'll go to bed shortly after 12.00

Those 3 can't go together well

 

[jumartoo]

Those 3 can't go together well

Well, after a, very short, discussion, we left, especially once the gazebos were being erected. It didn't bode well for a peaceful night

We are now at my favourite spot, next to the Embalse de Alfonso, near Calasparra. Surprisingly there are two vehicles already here, both Brit vans. We may get chance to speak to the occupants in the morning.

Happy New Year to all xxx

 

[Peavy]

It didn't bode well for a peaceful night

Good choice for sure
Happy new year everyone here

 

[bellabee]

You've made the right decision . Enjoy your peaceful New Year's Eve .

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[TheHat]

Thank you for this part of you year in spain i have enjoyed. Happy New Year to you and Martin.

 

[jumartoo]

Haha, we're now Billy no Mates. The two Brit vans have up and left. We can only think they're heading to Calasparra for some New Year celebrations

 

[jumartoo]

We had the most "silent night" at the reservoir. Unfortunately, it's a cloudy morning so I didn't get any lovely sunrise photos.

Our parking

And the views even on a dull day. You can see why it's a favourite of mine.

It's not inspiring us to ride, so we're going for a walk to the Castle and tunnels at Calasparra.

 

[daveinspain]

A good decision to move, I think! Wishing you both a very Happy and Healthy New Year, and thanks for all your interesting posts and photos.

 

[jumartoo]

We drove to Calasparra to have breakfast and faster Internet to wile away an hour or so before we went out on the bikes. Neither of us was inspired, so we donned walking gear and went to do the easy 8 km walk.

We climbed up to the castle, and then descended through the tunnel. We did a bit of road walking, and then a lovely path back, taking us through the valley of the Rio Argos.

We then couldn't decide whether to go back and park alongside the reservoir of the same River, or to go to the Santuario Virgen de la Esperanza. Or rather in the area above the Santuario, which is where I lit a purple candle for our departed friend and funster, Anthea M. I'd like to go and light another in her memory. I'm hoping to do so later, or tomorrow.

The 1000 year old Olive Tree. See above. Edad mas de 1000 años.

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